PlanetSolar: Catamaran of the Future
The goal of the PlanetSolar project is to design and create a solar powered boat which will be the first such vessel to circumnavigate the globe. The 60 ton vessel will operate from a combination of solar and battery power. This project aims to promote hybrid technology, spawn technological innovation in a variety of fields and bring about a change in mindsets. The project is sponsored by Grand Chelem Management SA in Switzerland, with a number of partner companies providing support.
The initial design for the PlanetSolar boat is a catamaran with a deck made up of an array of large solar panels. The boat will be constructed by Knierim Yacht Club in Kiel, Germany. The target speed of the completed vessel is 8 knots per hour. Two sailors will be aboard on the around-the-world voyage. For promotional outings, the boat will be designed to carry up to 50 people. Read more about this fascinating project on the PlanetSolar website.
Wednesday, 2. September 2009 21:44
[...] the official Earthrace website for more information. You can also see this earlier post on PlanetSolar, another futuristic vessel. Tags » biodiesel fuel, Earthrace, Sea Shepherd Conservation [...]
Wednesday, 26. May 2010 20:24
[...] PlanetSolar, the largest solar-powered boat in the world, was launched on its maiden voyage on March 31 of this year. PlanetSolar is a large catamaran that can hold up to 40 people and cruise at an average speed of 7.5 knots. Powering the boat are over 500 square meters of solar panels which power two motors. Designed by LOMOcean Design and built by the German shipbuilders Knierim Yachtbau over a period of 14 months, PlanetSolar has embarked on an around-the-world voyage to promote the use of sustainable energy. If successful, it will be the first solar-powered vessel to circumnavigate the globe. Tags » catamaran, Knierim Yachtbau, LOMOcean Design, PlanetSolar, solar-powered, sustainable energy « Author: Catie Date: Thursday, May 06th, 2010 Trackback: Trackback-URLCategory: Uncategorized Feed: RSS 2.0 You can leave a response [...]
Wednesday, 29. September 2010 17:53
I have to admit its a slick design.
Is it also a sample of design going wrong ?
Green boats are nothing new.
In fact the first ships used sails.
Today sailing boats even go faster then this boat, with a lot cheaper material canvas vs solar cells. And most of the time the wind on the ocean does blow, so its a bit waste of material and resources that they didnt make use of clean wind energy.
Just some facts todays green frontiers on large ships (far cargo transport) use industrial kite’s of large size.
try google and look for “sky sails”
it gives a lot more power to ships
Wednesday, 10. November 2010 3:43
It is a innovative design, but i agree, green boats are not a new concept today…